*Greek Pasta Bake

This recipe was such a great way to make lots of food all at once. The pound of pasta easily makes 10 servings when you serve a vegetable on the side. It is rich and delicious and is sure to be a family favorite. The bechamel sauce on tops makes for a beautiful, brown topping over the pasta.

It might look like a complicated recipe, but it is really just 3 sections…the meat sauce, the bechamel and the pasta itself. Don’t let the multiple parts overwhelm you as you can do them all very quickly.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the meat sauce:

olive oil

ground turkey – 2 lbs (you can use ground lamb or beef, but I used turkey for a healthier option)

onion, chopped – 1

garlic, minced – 3 cloves

red wine, dry – 1/2 cup

tomato paste – 1/4 cup

cinnamon – 1 tbsp

allspice – 1/2 tsp

whole tomatoes, canned – 1 (14 oz)

salt and pepper to taste

For the bechamel

butter, unsalted – 1/2 cup

flour – 1 cup

milk, 1% – 5 cups

parmesan, grated – 1 cup

egg yolks – 3

nutmeg – 1 pinch

salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta

ziti – 1 lb

olive oil – drizzle

egg whites – 3

parmesan – 1/4 cup

The first step is to start heating your pasta water. Be sure to add plenty of salt!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Put your five cups of milk in a pot and begin to heat over medium-high heat. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch!

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions.

Cook onions for about 5 minutes until they start to become translucent.

Add the ground turkey and garlic to the pan.

Cook until turkey is browned.

Add the red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, start your bechamel.

Tip: Your water should be close to boiling now. Once it is, add your pasta and cook as directed.